Influence of urea on biological N2 fixation and N transfer from Azolla intercropped with rice

The N₂ fixed by Azolla before and after urea application during the rice cycle, the mineralisation of Azolla-N as well as its availability to rice was studied in two greenhouse experiments conducted in 1996 and 1997 and in June 1998 in Goettingen (Germany). Dry matter production of the various rice parts of experiment 1 showed a clear positive synergism between treatment with Azolla and urea with a resulting apparent N recovery by rice increasing from 40% (without Azolla) to 57% in the presence of Azolla. Part of this increase may be due to N fixed biologically by Azolla and transferred to the rice. The second experiment shed some light on the role of BNF. Using an iterative method of estimation, the daily rate of N fixation was estimated at 0.6 – 0.7 kg N ha^–1. The rate was not so much affected by the age of the Azolla crop. At this rate, the BNF would amount to up to 100 kg N ha^–1 over a 130-day season. Assuming that BNF may be inhibited for a period of 5 – 10 days following urea application due to high levels of N in the floodwater, this might reduce the BNF by between 6 and 14 kg N ha over the season. Using the mean-pool-abundance concept, it was estimated that around 75 – 80% of the Azolla-N mineralized during the growth period was actually absorbed by the rice plants. Of the N taken up by rice around 28% was derived from the biologically fixed Azolla N, the remainder was urea N cycled through the Azolla. Azolla also seems to help sustain the soil N supply by returning N to the soil in quantities roughly equal to those extracted from the soil by the rice plant.     

Spatial and temporal pattern of colonization of Nabidae (Heteroptera) in alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Abstract: Six species of Nabidae (Heteroptera) were collected by standardized sweep net sampling in alfalfa fields in Thuringia, Germany, from 1993 to 1995: Nabis pseudoferus , N. ferus , N. brevis , N. major , Nabicula flavomarginata and Aptus mirmicoides . Colonization of a newly cultivated field was studied over a 3-year period. The density of all the studied nabid species was low (less than five individuals per 100 sweeps) and not related to time since colonization started, or to the distance from the margin of the field. Macropterous species were able to colonize the whole field within one season. The density of one macropterous species, N. pseudoferus , varied between the years of study and was mainly affected by the harvest regime. The brachypterous species reached the margin within one season but for density it took three seasons to reach satiated values also in the centre of the field. The abundance of the brachypterous N. brevis was significantly different both between years and sampling sites. This indicates the importance of the surroundings on the succession of this species. Nabis major , a fully winged species, showed a migration pattern intermediate to macropterous and brachypterous nabids. These results suggest that the total abundance of nabid predators cannot be predicted by time or distance from the expansion source (shelter belts). The abundance of brachypterous nabid individuals can be predicted from time since colonization but is best analysed at the species level.     

Group size and stability: Why do gibbons and spider monkeys differ?

Gibbons and spider monkeys have similar diets, body size, and locomotor patterns. They are therefore expected to be subject to similar socioecological rules. However their grouping patterns differ. Gibbons live in small stable groups, whereas spider monkey form unstable sub-groups that vary from small to large during different seasons. If similar principles apply to the two species, food abundance should vary more for spider monkeys than for gibbons; food density should be similar for the two species when spider monkey sub-groups are the same size as gibbon groups; and the highest level of food abundance should be higher for spider monkeys than for gibbons. These predictions are upheld for a comparison of particular populations ofHylobates muelleri andAteles geoffroyi.     

ESI-Q-TOF-MS直接进样法比较陕西五个不同地区丹参的化学成分差异

该研究采用ESI-Q-TOF-MS直接进样分析法对陕西商州、洛南、大荔、丹凤和铜川等五个地区丹参的化学成分进行了比较分析,通过丹参水溶性和脂溶性成分的质谱丰度差异评价了不同地区丹参化学成分含量的变化,对不同产地丹参的化学成分进行了鉴定,综合分析选出了最优的丹参种植产地。结果表明:五地丹参均含有丹参酮ⅡA、隐丹参酮、丹参酮Ⅰ、二氢丹参酮、丹参酚酮、次丹参醌、丹参醌Ⅱ等9种脂溶性化学成分和丹参素、咖啡酸、阿魏酸、迷迭香酸、原紫草酸、紫草酸、原儿茶醛、丹酚酸A、丹酚酸B等9种水溶性化学成分,其中丹参素钠、紫草酸、丹酚酸B和隐丹参酮的含量普遍较高,质谱丰度均大于30%。但是,随着种植环境不同,不同地区丹参的化学成分含量差异很大,如商州产丹参中含有较多具有生物活性的丹参酮类物质,其中丹参酮Ⅰ含量远远高于其他四个产地,质谱丰度达到72.6%,而其他地区丹参酮Ⅰ的质谱丰度为1.8%～11.3%。这表明丹参质量按照地区排序为商州>铜川>大荔>洛南>丹凤。该方法为中药药材质量评价提供了科学、可靠、便捷的途径,为药材规格等级的制定提供了新途径,为陕西丹参种植区域的选择提供了重要信息。     

Bucking the trend: the African Black Oystercatcher as a recent conservation success story

The African Black Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini is a charismatic, southern African near-endemic, wader species, that is often seen as a flagship species for coastal bird conservation, as it was recently down-listed regionally to Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. To celebrate this rare conservation success story, BirdLife South Africa named it the 2018 Bird of the Year and ran a year-long programme in collaboration with the Nature’s Valley Trust highlighting aspects of the species’ biology, current threats, and conservation success. We used data collected by the Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1 and SABAP2) to examine changes in the species’ range and relative abundance, both in the records between the two projects, as well as trends within the SABAP2 sampling period (2008–2017). This case study enabled us to assess whether such metrics can accurately reflect abundance and distributional changes in a species. We found increases in the reported range and the reporting rates between the two Atlas projects, and that the SABAP2 reporting rate was stable. Regionally, across four coastal categories, the reporting rate was lowest in KwaZulu-Natal, though this region also showed an increase in the probability of reporting during the SABAP2 period. While corroborating the recent change in the species’ conservation status, we also provide good evidence that the long-term SABAP data can be used successfully to assess population trends and range changes over time.     

Direct versus indirect facilitation (herbivore mediated) among woody plants in a semiarid Chaco forest: A spatial association approach

In arid environments, direct facilitation (microhabitat amelioration) and indirect facilitation (‘associational resistance’ via protection from herbivory) among plants of different species may act simultaneously. Little is known about their relative effects. One way to disentangle the effects is by evaluating spatial associations. We examined the relative importance of these two mechanisms of facilitation in the semiarid Chaco vegetation of north‐central Argentina, through an eight‐way observational study in which we quantified the degree of spatial association between saplings of each of two key tree species, Schinopsis lorentzii (Anacardiaceae) and Aspidosperma quebracho‐blanco (Apocynaceae), with shrub neighbours either possessing spines or without spines and in both an ungrazed site and a site with a long history of cattle grazing. We analysed data across 400 subparcels at each site with spatial analysis by distance indices. Saplings of both tree species showed positive spatial associations with spiny shrubs in the grazed site but not in the ungrazed site, and never with non‐spiny shrubs. This result suggests that spiny shrubs may indeed provide associational resistance for saplings of key tree species in grazed habitats in these dry subtropical forests, that is, that indirect facilitation may predominate over direct facilitation. If confirmed by experimental studies, this result can have implications for the silvopastoral management of rapidly expanding ranches in the semiarid Chaco, where current practice includes the near elimination of native shrubs.     

Swimming response of goldfish,Carassius auratus,and the tetra,Hemigrammus caudovittatus,larvae to individual food items and patches

Synopsis Swimming speed and swimming path of goldfish and tetra larvae were studied in aquaria containing food patches composed of decapsulated cysts and immobilized nauplii of Artemia salina or sparsely distributed prey. The mean swimming speed of starved larvae in the medium without food was about four times higher than the speed of larvae feeding in a patch. Satiated larvae swam about 1.5 times slower than hungry fish. Consumption of single prey items by starved larvae caused the following sequence of swimming responses: handling pause (cessation of swimming), slow swimming in a restricted area, and fast swimming (approximately twice as fast as hungry larvae before encountering food) accompanied by a widening of the area searched (area increased searching). Mean swimming speed was constant over a broad range (10¹–10³ ind·1^–1 of food density, although at extreme (high or low) values of food density it depended on swimming responses of the predator. Frequency of visits to the different parts of the aquarium strongly depended on encounters of hungry fish with food particles or patches.     

青海湖流域具鳞水柏枝植物水分利用氢同位素示踪研究

具鳞水柏枝(Myricaria squamosa)是我国高寒地区广泛分布的优势河谷灌木, 具有维持河谷湿地系统稳定的功能。然而, 目前国内外有关具鳞水柏枝水分利用来源的定量研究很少。该文运用氢稳定同位素示踪方法, 分析了青海湖流域具鳞水柏枝茎(木质部)水和潜在水源(地下水、河水和土壤水)的氢稳定同位素比率(δD)的季节变化, 发现具鳞水柏枝在不同水文环境下的植物水分利用来源有明显差异。研究结果表明, 生长在河岸边的具鳞水柏枝在6、7月主要利用地下水与河水, 分别占其所利用水分的89%、86%和55%、65%, 8月主要利用0-20 cm土层的土壤水, 9月水源不详。生长在离河岸约100 m处的具鳞水柏枝在6月主要利用地下水与河水(91%、70%), 在7-9月以0-60 cm土层的土壤水为主要水源。这表明生长在河岸边的具鳞水柏枝对地下水和河水的依赖程度较高, 而距离河岸约100 m时对土壤水的利用量较多, 反映出生长在不同生境中的具鳞水柏枝对特定水分条件的特殊适应结果。     

Fruit set in a deceptive orchid: The effect of flowering phenology,display size,and local floral abundance

We investigated the effect of flowering time, display size, and local floral density on fruit set in Tolumnia variegata, a pollination-limited orchid that offers no reward to its pollinator(s). During 1990, natural variation in flowering time, display size, and fruit set were monitored in 508 plants at one locality in Puerto Rico. The following season, orchid floral abundance per host tree (Randia aculeata) was manipulated to investigate its effect on fruit set. Four floral abundance treatments were established (700, 500, 300, and 100), each replicated four times. Flowering time was the most important trait affecting fruit set. The proportion of plants setting at least one fruit was significantly high early and late in the season, but low during the flowering peak. Thus, strong disruptive selection differential on flowering phenology was found. Display size had little effect on fruit set. A weak, but significant disruptive selection differential on display size was found. Orchid floral abundance per host tree had a significant effect on fruit set. Early in the season, T. variegata flowers with intermediate number of conspecific flowers exhibited a greater probability of setting fruit than those in host trees with fewer or more flowers. Our results show that flowering phenology may be evolutionarily unstable, possibly a consequence of the deception pollination system. Furthermore, a deception strategy would be relatively unsuccessful in populations where plants are found in either very dense or sparse patches.